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Stage Play: ON THE HOLY TRAIL
Staged By: The Mustard Seed Art Company
Where: Kala Academy - Mini Open-air Auditorium
When: Dec 20 & 21, 2007 @ 7pm
Read a Review at:
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2007-December/066558.html
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Eventually it was "vox populi" that prevailed. The
passenger catamaran built by Austal ships at 100
Clarence Road Henderson , Perth, City of Cockburn 6166
Western Australia, re-christened as m.v.LEELA for its
use as an "off shore" casino by the Management of
HOTEL
LEELA VENTURE LIMITED Cavelossim South Goa District
finally moved out in the early hours of this morning
from the site where it was moored viz at the Cutbona
Fishing Harbour .
It may be recalled that a peoples movement was
initiated to get the casino out from the river Sal.
This followed direction from the Captain of Ports on
9.5.2006 to move the vessel from Ambelim its earlier
anchorage.
The SAVE RIVER FRONT had on 2nd September 2007 issued
an ultimatum to remove the vessel or face the peoples
wrath. After the CM got an assurance from Leelas that
the vessel would move by end November, 2007 the Leelas
used all the arsenal in their holds to negate the
peoples demand but were unsuccessful. At one stage
there were fears of the casino allegedly being set on
fire.
One thing the people were convinced that there can and
will never be any industry or enterprise that does not
have the peoples support and Goans mean this in letter
and spirit even if a few elected representatives are
ready to sell off their mothers for a song. This was
the underlying message of the campaign.
Eventually for fear of retaliation and lately on 29th
November, 2007 a public spirited citizen Mr Melson F
Louis also a member of South Goa Public Interest
Action Group an MGO filing a letter petition before
the Panaji Bench of the Bombay High Court it is learnt
that the Leela's apparently realised that they were in
for more trouble. Mr Louis an engineer on a national
carrier was well conversant with the violations
committed by the Leelas breaking the MARPOL protocol
as well.
It had already breached a convention of illegally
getting this vessel in the river Sal which is declared
out of bounds for such vessels -- as per the
International Maritime Advisory.
Notwithstanding the PR efforts of Brigadier (Retd )
Shakti Prasads of the Leela, it must be said to the
credit of Leela' Management that they paid heed to the
voice of the people.
This morning as a large entourage of fishermen watched
the vessel move there was a sign of jubilation on
their faces. When this writer visited the venue and
interacted with the fishermen and some locals, they
were one in stating that the political battles between
Mr Churchill Alemao the Minister of PWD and present
MLA Navelim (at whose behest the vessel was then some
two years ago towed into the river) and the ex MLA
Navelim his " bete noire " Mr Luisinho Faleiro had
prolonged the removal of the casino.
Villagers also agreed that the commercialisation of
the casino could spell doom for the village youth --
gambling is the blood of most Goans and given an idle
mind and attempts to earn money by short cuts the
casino would have proved the death knell for the
village youth. It would also disturb the tranquility
of the Cavelossim Mobor and Velim Betul end.
It took exactly two hours for the vessel to move and
go towards its Panaji end. The Captain of Ports when
contacted was unavailable for comments as to the
future course but one source from within the office
indicated that the licence had been granted for
operations midstream just out of the Panaji Harbour
area.
The tide conditions were favourable but there was not
much need of towing as the vessel moved on its own to
the mouth of the river and its onward sea route.
from the Cutubond end
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Spread the Christmas Cheer, even when you're not here!
Send classic greetings to your loved ones in Goa.
EXPRESSIONS - 2007 Christmas Hamper
Visit http://www.goa-world.com/expressions/xmas/
Or e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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